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Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Guest blog #27: Adrianna Bojrab's thoughts on little city nudges

Nestled in the heart of a culturally rich and active local
community, the University of Michigan’s goals seem to mirror the objectives of local
Ann Arbor. Ann Arbor is a
buzzing hub of innovation; start-up entrepreneurial enterprises, and cutting
edge technology and research firms seem to make up the nucleus of the local economy. As such endeavors prove costly, efficiency seems to be a priority
amongst local people, a primacy that is reflected in their business
approaches. Efficiency can be achieved
on a variety levels: capital allocation, minimal time and energy expenditure
and strategic business structures that minimize costs and boost profits. Such efficiency standards can be met with
numerous approaches; however, Ann Arbor companies seem to set the standard by
equating efficiency with green sustainability, and considering local options
and mindful environmental practices to reach the bar.

While residing in Ann Arbor for four years, I noticed incentives
for reducing waste around the city. Many
food businesses receive base ingredients from local farmers, and donate
leftovers to the homeless population.
Local farmers' markets are highly publicized and well frequented by
students and locals alike. Clothing and
product drives reallocate excess, and a noticeable shift towards biodegradable
materials for disposable products has become widespread in University and local
business food and product packaging. A new wave of businesses promoting
increased accessibility to public transportation has emerged. Through the means of more expansive bus
routes and initiatives to provide larger capacity cabs, Ann Arbor is moving
more people and burning less fuel simultaneously. Within the community, there is a strong biking population and more recently, an emerging skateboard culture. Governmental regulations have rejected proposals
for increasing parking accessibility, and this has proved to deter individuals
from driving--a positive for fuel conservation.
Additionally, the physical layout of Ann Arbor makes walking or
alternative transportation an easy, viable and reasonable option, along with
the construction of new dormitories, co-ops and apartment buildings on Central
Campus; people are being brought closer to their destinations. Ann Arbor makes it easy to be environmentally
conscious by providing the means to promote desired actions.

Recently, I have moved to a neighborhood just north of downtown
Chicago, Illinois. My fascination with
urban living and sustainability was redefined.
Generally speaking, subways and buses are the predominate mode of
transportation for many city dwellers.
As a graduate student, I have the option to purchase an unlimited public
transportation card for six months. My commute to school on the subway has opened my eyes
to the amount of fuel, finances, energy and time allotment that is being saved
per person. Calculate $2.50 per one-way ticket, the price of a car, gas,
parking and time in the context of city, and number is likely astounding. Chicago
utilizes public transportation in a way unlike most other big cities, by
utilizing both above ground and underground subway transport. By doubling the expansive public transportation
network, Chicago transports more people and employs more individuals to service
and maintain the tracks and trains. Read:
Public transportation is quick, efficient, expansive...and arguably
entertaining.

Additionally, the state of Illinois encourages and provides a
number of incentives for renewables and efficiency efforts--a mixture of grants, shorter permit
process timelines and tax cuts. These
opportunities are available for commercial, industrial, residential, educational
and institutional interests, and help to further the employment and adoption of
new technology and environmentally beneficial practices. Some of these practices involve: green
building designs, geothermal heat pumps, solar space and water heaters,
photovoltaics, hydroelectricity, LED lighting, renewable fuels and biomass. The implementation and employment of new
technology through state and federal incentives encourages a healthier
environment and provides a financially feasible way to reduce operation costs and conserve valuable resources, materials
and energy. Such information for your
own city is available through DSIRE, an online database funded by the U.S.
Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

On a smaller scale, I have noticed a number of changes within my
two short months of residence: public restrooms are beginning to remove paper
towel dispensers and replace them with strong air current dryers. Inner city
farmers markets are extending their hours of operation to weekdays,
specifically lunch hours, providing an alternative for the working world’s
lunch break and grocery run. Recycling
containers are found on every corner and clothing dispensaries for the needy
are numerous. Water bottle fillers that
provide a “number of bottles saved” to users are engineered into many of the
public water fountains, becoming a city norm. By providing such numbers for
users, individuals are tangibly made to feel as though they are furthering change, thus encouraging usage. A number of restaurants provide
cloth napkins, regardless of their level of formality. Chicago provides easy ways for people to
minimize waste and reuse or reallocate resources. Small incentives and practices add up, and
the collective result could be major.

We are the generation that will turn the tables. We will change and revitalize the American
culture by using innovative ways to introduce and implement sustainable and efficient
business regimes into our communities. Our health,
safety, and happiness derive from our atmosphere. If we focus on sustainability, and intentionally
challenge ourselves to reuse materials in innovative ways, we will revitalize our
communities. Look at your lifestyle, identify the source
of waste, start small scale and take an active role within your community to
further new practices and become a catalyst for reform.

~Adrianna

For more of Adrianna's thoughts on this blog, click here, here, and here.

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About Me

This blog will chronicle my thoughts, and the thoughts of others, about society, ethics, justice, philosophy and economy, as we try to reduce our ecological impacts. I am also attempting to produce no (or as little as is possible) trash (including recyclables!). Click on "About...more than just trash" for details. From 29 March, 2010 to 29 March, 2011, I produced seven and a half pounds of trash (four lbs of glass, three pounds of paper, and half a pound of non-recyclables). In year two, this number went down to six. Year three didn't work as well, because I moved away from Ann Arbor. Now, I am trying to figure out how to live the way that I want to where I am. As Professor Princen has told me about this - "I see this as part of a larger "project" of "zero"-- i.e., there are some things that just don't belong in an ecologically sustainable world." Trash has provided a wonderful lens through which to view my behaviour, and the behaviour of our societies.
If you have comments, questions, criticisms, or thoughts to share, you can comment on the blog, or email me at dippind@umich.edu. I absolutely look forward to reading and hearing what you have to say.